2008 Woodie Awards
Staged reading highlights talents
Play focuses on lower class with themes of love and war
Blair Tellers
Issue date: 10/24/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
A group of Whitworth students performed a staged reading of George Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man" last Thursday evening in the Hixson Union Building.
Participants primarily consisted of students who are involved with the theatre department.
The reading was the first of eight that have been scheduled for this year. All are overseen and directed by senior Amy Bernard. This particular performance was organized by senior Noree Johnson, who acted as the play's narrator.
"The directors pick their cast," Johnson said. "Anybody can be in a staged reading, but they're mostly comprised of theatre majors and minors."
The play lasted a little over two hours and was given by a group of ten participants who perched on stools and read their roles aloud.
The play, "Arms and the Man," is one of several pieces written by George Bernard Shaw, who was an Irish dramatist, literary critic, socialist spokesman and leading figure in 20th century theater.
Shaw was a freethinker, a supporter of women's rights and an advocate of equality of income.
At the end of the reading a discussion was led by professor of theatre Rick Hornor. He answered questions from the audience and provided brief commentary on the play's major themes and history.
Hornor praised the piece, describing it as possessing witty, biting satire and being very appropriate for our time and culture.
"It's a complicated and sophisticated piece that deserves our attention," Hornor said.
The play itself embodies two primary issues: love and war. It subtly and cleverly comments on things like social class and rank with political statements woven into humorous dialogue. Shaw's plays, which are often characterized by paradox, are also known for their anti-climactic nature.
"Arms and the Man" is one in a series of what are known as Shaw's "unpleasant plays" - ideological attacks on the evils of capitalism and explorations of moral and social problems.
A unique aspect about the play is that a maid servant named Louka is the central character.
Horner pointed out that given the time the play was written, it was a very rare thing to find a woman of lower class cast as the prominent figure in a play.
Freshman Ben Bonnema played the part of Captain Bluntschli.
"I liked that he was a real soldier and wasn't fake," Bonnema said. "Plus, Captain Bluntschli got the girl."
The play subtly mocks the glorification of love and war and the fact that people sometimes tend to pursue it out of mere enchantment and amusement.
"I thought it had some funny commentary about war and the pointlessness of it," Bonnema said.
Participants primarily consisted of students who are involved with the theatre department.
The reading was the first of eight that have been scheduled for this year. All are overseen and directed by senior Amy Bernard. This particular performance was organized by senior Noree Johnson, who acted as the play's narrator.
"The directors pick their cast," Johnson said. "Anybody can be in a staged reading, but they're mostly comprised of theatre majors and minors."
The play lasted a little over two hours and was given by a group of ten participants who perched on stools and read their roles aloud.
The play, "Arms and the Man," is one of several pieces written by George Bernard Shaw, who was an Irish dramatist, literary critic, socialist spokesman and leading figure in 20th century theater.
Shaw was a freethinker, a supporter of women's rights and an advocate of equality of income.
At the end of the reading a discussion was led by professor of theatre Rick Hornor. He answered questions from the audience and provided brief commentary on the play's major themes and history.
Hornor praised the piece, describing it as possessing witty, biting satire and being very appropriate for our time and culture.
"It's a complicated and sophisticated piece that deserves our attention," Hornor said.
The play itself embodies two primary issues: love and war. It subtly and cleverly comments on things like social class and rank with political statements woven into humorous dialogue. Shaw's plays, which are often characterized by paradox, are also known for their anti-climactic nature.
"Arms and the Man" is one in a series of what are known as Shaw's "unpleasant plays" - ideological attacks on the evils of capitalism and explorations of moral and social problems.
A unique aspect about the play is that a maid servant named Louka is the central character.
Horner pointed out that given the time the play was written, it was a very rare thing to find a woman of lower class cast as the prominent figure in a play.
Freshman Ben Bonnema played the part of Captain Bluntschli.
"I liked that he was a real soldier and wasn't fake," Bonnema said. "Plus, Captain Bluntschli got the girl."
The play subtly mocks the glorification of love and war and the fact that people sometimes tend to pursue it out of mere enchantment and amusement.
"I thought it had some funny commentary about war and the pointlessness of it," Bonnema said.
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